The invention relates to improvements in devices for separably coupling profiled members. More particularly, the invention relates to improvements in connectors of the type wherein a housing can be inserted into a hollow first profiled member and confines a reciprocable coupling member with one or more claws serving to engage the internal surface of a wall of a second profiled member in order to urge the outer side of such wall against one end of the first profiled member.
German Pat. No. 31 53 232 discloses a connector wherein the coupling member is movable relative to the housing in response to rotation of an eccentric which is journalled in the housing. The eccentric is installed between two projections of the coupling member in such a way that one projection is acted upon when the eccentric is caused to turn in a first direction and that the other projection is acted upon when the eccentric is caused to turn in a second direction counter to the first direction. The one projection is located between the claw and the eccentric and is acted upon for the purpose of disengaging the claw or claws for a wall of the second profiled member. The other projection is constituted by an L-shaped portion of the coupling member and is acted upon when the claw or claws are moved toward and while the claw or claws bear against the internal surface of a wall forming part of the second profiled member. A drawback of the patented connector is that the L-shaped other or rear projection is likely to yield in response to pronounced stresses and to thus permit a loosening of the connection with attendant danger and likelihood of accident, damage and/or injury. Moreover, fatigue of the material of the L-shaped projection is likely to cause breakage, chipping or cracking which, too, can lead to accidents, damage and/or injury. Since the major part of the coupling member is confined in the housing of the patented connector and the major part of the housing is confined in the first coupling member, damage to or excessive deformation of the L-shaped projection is not readily detectable unless the connector is removed from the respective profiled member and the coupling member is withdrawn from the housing for the sole purpose of inspecting the condition of the coupling member, especially of its projections.
Swoboda U.S. Pat. No. 4,799,819 discloses a connector wherein the coupling member is a U-shaped body and the eccentric acts upon the web of the U-shaped body by way of specially designed motion transmitting parts. The patented connector comprises a substantial number of parts.